Communications devices commonly implement multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) approaches to overcome signal degradation due to high free space path losses (FSPL) for particular radio bands. For example, communications using mm-wave signals in the 50 GHz band are susceptible to high FSPL. Accordingly, to alleviate this issue, such communications are typically implemented using a plurality of antennas and beamforming. That is, a first device will transmit the same signal using each of the antennas, but adjusts at least the phase of each antenna to form a coherent beam in a direction of a second device engaged in a communications session with the first device.
As can be seen from the above, beamforming requires the identification of a direction associated with another device. Typically, this direction is obtained by performing a sector sweep. That is, the first device sends packets out in a plurality of directions and then the second device responds by identifying the direction associated with the best received packet.